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NBA considering raising league’s age minimum from 19 to 20

By Patrick Schmidt

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Feb 15, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks to the media during the NBA All Star Game commissioner press conference at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 15, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks to the media during the NBA All Star Game commissioner press conference at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

Adam Silver has only been in his role as NBA commissioner for a few months and after previously saying the league will take a fresh look at the NBA playoff format, Silver is ready to change the age minimum to 20 for the draft as soon as the 2016 NBA draft, calling it his top priority, according to ESPN.

"“If we’re going to be successful in raising the age from 19 to 20, part and parcel in those negotiations goes to the treatment of players on those college campuses and closing the gap between what their scholarships cover and their expenses,” Silver said. “We haven’t looked specifically at creating a financial incentive for them to stay in college. That’s been an option that has been raised over the years, but that’s not something that is on the table right now.”"

The one-and-done rule in college basketball has been a topic of hot debate since it was introduced a few years ago with critics pointing out that these freshman don’t need to take their academics seriously and if they’re good enough to play in the NBA out of high school, they should be able to do so without a glorified “internship” for a few months in college.

College basketball fans would like to see this rule as it would mean we get to see players like Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins, Joel Embiid and whoever John Calipari recruits to the Kentucky Wildcats as sophomores. And the NBA would be better off in the long run by bringing in players who are more seasoned and ready to make a bigger impact at 20, rather than 19.

What do you think about this proposal? Should the NBA make the age minimum 20 years old, stick with the current rule or allow kids to enter the league straight out of high school? Sound off in the comments section below.